Wasps nest in shed

[bario1]

Has anyone had a wasp's nest in their shed? I've got one in mine, and although its been fascinating watching them build it, i'm worried that it'll get too big for me to deal with. At the moment its the size of a small apple - if it continues to grow, it could make my shed a very unpleasant place to be (well, more unpleasant).

What's the best way to deal with it? Can i get rid of it without killing all the wasps?

Cheers.

[Norfolk drew]

If your feeling very brave you can wait till its a cool evening put a bin bag over the nest and then detach it from the shed although this is very difficult and you will probably get stung

[Linnea]

we had one last weekend in our shed it was only about the size of a small crab apple. 1 wasp was present. we waited until the wasp went away then knocked the nest off the shed roof with a long handled rake and scooped it out of the shed. the wasp has not been back.

I'm not sure I'd recommend that for the apple sized one tho! as I presume you have more than 1 wasp?

how about one of these? Waspinator

[Veggielot]

I had one which I acidently knocked down, about the size as yours, no wasp came out and appeared empty so I assumed it was a solitary wasp.

[muddyfeet]

Every spring/early summer I have to check the roof of my hut because the wasps love the chipboard for making nests. I usually scrape them off with the onion hoe when they are tiny. Once they get big it sometimes means you can't use the hut, as a friend of mine found out! They just had to time their visits and didn't get their hut back till the end of the season.

[bario1]

how about one of these? Waspinator

"If you already have a live wasp nest in your loft or garage you will almost certainly need to get a pest control company to destroy the wasp nest, as the wasps will see this space as their territory and will get close enough to a Waspinator to sense that it isn't real."

There's only 4 or 5 workers buzzing around it at the moment. Apparently you can spray the nest with wasp killer at night, and they'll all be dead in the morning. But i will feel like a murderer for weeks - i can't even kill slugs, i have to throw them in the hedge. I need to man up.

[rustylady]

There's only 4 or 5 workers buzzing around it at the moment. Apparently you can spray the nest with wasp killer at night, and they'll all be dead in the morning. But i will feel like a murderer for weeks - i can't even kill slugs, i have to throw them in the hedge. I need to man up.

You certainly do. My suggestion would be to knock it down with a long-handled implement and vacate the area immediately. Return later to inspect. With a bit of luck they will have moved on to a new home by then. BTW, leave the shed door open so they can get out.

[BertieFox]

Wasps really do so much good early in the season, as they predate on aphids and numerous other harmful bugs and larvae as well as being pollinators for lots of flowers which bees don't always visit. It's such a pity to destroy a nest unless absolutely necessary, and not until later in the season when they are more likely to be a nuisance. We regularly have a nest on the frame of the doorway of the polytunnel, an annoyance, but we just keep an eye open as we go in and out.
As for destroying it when you need to, if you have any friends or acquaintances who keep bees they will have protective clothing and veil and can either remove it or spray it with something in the evening which will kill all the wasps quickly.
But we are losing so many of our vital insects, that even wasps need to be left to do their own thing whenever possible. Some types of wasp are now seriously threatened.

[Noosner]

We've got a nest in our shed, too. It is a beautiful looking thing - like a white paper lampshade - but quite large now, and everyone says it's best to destroy it. It's right in the doorway of the shed, which makes it a bit tricky getting tools out! I'm interested in the idea of leaving it till later - when would the right time be to act?

[bario1]

I haven't destroyed mine either - now its about the size of a grapefruit. Its at the back of the shed though, so i can get my tools, but its a very small shed! Still can't decide whether to get rid of it....

[mrgrower]

I haven't destroyed mine either - now its about the size of a grapefruit. Its at the back of the shed though, so i can get my tools, but its a very small shed! Still can't decide whether to get rid of it....

I was watching a documentary on wasps and their nests and it was saying they can get out of hand very quickly. Unlike bees wasps are more prone to be territorial and aggressive in hot weather or about to swarm. Whilst it is good to support nature I'd be more concerned about being stung.

[greenishfing]

I am so lucky. Last week there was a wasps nest right outside my shed door and I didn't know what to do about it but it seems as if the rain at the weekend has demolished it.

[BertieFox]

I was watching a documentary on wasps and their nests and it was saying they can get out of hand very quickly. Unlike bees wasps are more prone to be territorial and aggressive in hot weather or about to swarm. Whilst it is good to support nature I'd be more concerned about being stung.

First, wasps do NOT swarm, they merely produce numerous queens very late in the season, which mate as solitary insects and then find somewhere to hibernate until spring, when they set up an entirely new colony somewhere.

Secondly, bees are FAR more territorial and defensive of their colonies. We have eight hives and I am always getting stung just by weeding within ten or twenty metres of them! I would never dream of cutting the grass in front of their hives without a veil on and even then they would give me an enormously hard time attacking in strength.

I have walked in and out of a polytunnel with a wasps' nest on the door frame and into sheds without ever getting attacked, unless I actually disturb the nest.

I will concede it probably depends on the type of wasp, and they vary a lot (the ones I mowed over when wearing shorts and sandals weren't exactly 'friendly'..... I've never run so fast in my life and got stung in places I can't mention here!) And if anybody suffers bad reactions let alone anaphylactic shock from wasp stings, then I'd agree you must destroy the nest safely, by getting somebody with protective gear to do so.

[Noosner]

Back from a 2 week holiday to find the wasps' nest in our shed has doubled in size! It's the size of a football now (though not shaped like one). I hate to think of the wasps being killed but I think we are going to have to get someone to remove it as it's pretty scary in the (small) shed now.

[LilithPaige]

Do you have a metal basket you could start a small fire in without it getting out of hand? I'm pretty sure that smoke will clear the wasps out of the shed for you, then with a mask, a little bit of protection (long sleeves, long trousers, gloves and a hat) you could see about removing the nest and putting it outside somewhere?
Its never a problem I have had so I could be way off... it was just the first thing to come to my mind.